Menno, Valerie, Daniel, John and their dog Daisy are off to explore the Caribbean Islands for two years-no-make that three years!

Long Live the Dust!

10/01/2006, Hog Island, Grenada

Thanks to El Nino and maybe some Sahara dust, so far the hurricane season has not been as severe as predicted. The El Nino phenomenon, an occasional extreme warming of equatorial waters in the Pacific Ocean, typically acts to suppress Atlantic hurricane activity by increasing the vertical wind shear over the Caribbean Sea region. An El Nino has formed and will last into 2007. The development of El Nino is helping to explain why the hurricane season is less than expected for this year. El Nino and that Sahara dust. Dust blown off the Sahara desert can interfere with the birth of hurricanes as well. Occassionally great elevated plumes of hot dusty air interact with African waves as they move across the Atlantic Ocean. When the extremely dry air within the dust layer is ingested by a wave disturbance, it evaporates the deep clouds and thus limits the potential of a wave to develop into a storm. That is stated by the director of the NOAA Hurricane Division. We have noticed the dusty, hazy days here in Grenada. I have also learned that the African dust, also known as Sahara dust contains powdered camel dung! So we are breathing a bit of camel dung...maybe it's organic...I figure it's a small trade off for the dryer, less turbulent weather we'd be getting without this dung- laden air.

Would you like to go to a party lime? In Grenada, the word "Liming" describes an activity that is geared towards hanging out with friends, or whoever one chooses to associate with in a fun loving atmosphere. It includes drinking, food, dancing and music as main ingredients, mixed with other "Spicy" activities deemed appropriate by participants!

Daniel was told at Sailing Class that he needed to put the "bung" in his boat! The what? The bung is the plug that is put into the boat to keep it from filling with water!

Spices are almost synonymous with romance. People have associated distinctive spice scents with love and attraction; and many tales have been told of the powerful fragrance of some spices.These aromatic substances are regularly used in dyes, soaps, bath oils, perfumes and many pharmeceutical products. The Grenadians traditionally use spices to season meats and to add zesty flavour to foods and drinks. Nutmegs are by far the most commmon spice on the island. It is featured on the nation's flag and contributes tremendously to the islands export earnings. No other single crop is more important to the islands economy. In 2002 nutmegs acounted for 37% of Grenada's export commodity. So it is no wonder that the spice has been christened "Grenada's Black Gold." There are many other spices available on the island; ginger, cinnamon, bay leaves, vanilla, cloves and pimento(allspice) to name a few. Conclusion? Eat and drink all you can while in Grenada because the food is delicioulsy spicy!